26 January 2010 06:20

The Spanish club's favourite newspaper Marca have tested the water with stories about the England striker since before Christmas, but Real have been forced into retreat by Rooney's insistence that he is happy at Old Trafford.

Rooney is understood to have been on a short list of prestigious targets who could improve Real's stellar squad, but the club's director general Jorge Valdano insisted: 'He is a very interesting player but we have not ever been interested.

'He is extraordinary, very, very good. Rooney is English, we all know they find it difficult to adapt to another type of competition other than the Premier League.'

Valdano was the man who brokered deals for David Beckham, Steve McManaman and Michael Owen to sign for Madrid.

Cristiano Ronaldo would love his former United team-mate to follow him to the Bernabeu and Rooney is thought to have been considered alongside Valencia's David Villa and Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero as possible recruits for next summer.

Struggling to fit in? The very English David Beckham is the centre of attention at Real Madrid in June 2007

Although the plan was at first dismissed as ambitious, recent revelations about the state of United's finances have seen both Madrid and Barcelona linked to the 24-year-old.

Powerbroker: Jorge Valdano

However, Rooney told The Sun: 'There's always speculation and when other big teams are talking about you it's nice.

'But as I've said many times before, I am a United player and I am very happy at Old Trafford.'

Rooney's current boss Sir Alex Ferguson has tipped his top scorer to break the 30-goal barrier this season for the first time in his career.

The former Everton man took his tally for the season to 20 with his incredible four-timer against Hull at Old Trafford on Saturday.

'The crucial part of the season is coming up,' said Ferguson. 'He could easily get above 30. His ratio at the moment suggests that.

'Wayne has become more aware of the penalty box. Giving him the direct role has given him an appetite to be in the box all the time.

'He still has moments when he goes into other areas of the pitch but he is choosing those moments more maturely.

'The main reason he is scoring the goals is because he is in the right place at the right time. That is what good goalscorers do.'

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